Sunday, March 13, 2011

While trying to understand and explain CMS' formula for value-added teacher ratings, I asked Andy Baxter, the district's performance-pay guru, if he could show me the calculation for one student. I was hoping for something simple enough to fit into a box to attach to the main article.

He said he'd give it a try. The result ... well, it wasn't short and simple. But with so much riding on these numbers, I figured some of you would like to read the full document.

23
comments:

Anonymous
said...

Ann, He could not explain it at all to our group, especially to a math teacher with a 100% pass rate on her exam rate and a poor rating. If you can't explain it, you can't sell it, and CMS has long run out of credibility. There are so many other issues that need attention in CMS. Catch-22. Thanks Pete Yossarian. You've matched literature for absurdity and micro/social management.

I still find it hysterical that even though you mentioned in your lead article today that teacher had to "vote" on this PfP plan... we still have not had a single vote... and we are told it IS going to be implemented 2013... Millions are being spent on funds matching, making tests, hiring people to go out and "sell" the concept to teachers, aggregating useless data that in a couple of years some new fad will come out and debunk... Seriously, is no one else vastly amused that Dr. G. is going on and on and on and there has not been a vote? Why is that? Hmmmm... is it because he has had lobbyists in Raleigh for several years and he knows there is some sort of assurance from legislators that that particular rule about teacher votes is going to be upended before then? Hmmmmm... I haven't voted... Have you? p.s. My Value Add... ROCKED THE KASBAH (i'm in that dark green on the chart)... and I still thing PfP is a waste of a. time, b. money, c. energy, and d. all of the above.

Our principal is part of one of the PfP teams & came back with some eye-opening information. One, the majority of principals in the group are not in favor of PfP which shocked Andy Baxter. We already know a large percentage of certified staff members don't support the plan, but CMS will not take a vote now. They want to try and make it sound more paletable by changing the name (I voted in a poll on this) and, according to our principal, no vote will be taken until 2013. Gorman is hoping that the current legislature will change the law that requires a vote at all - it's being considered. Pete knows if he takes a vote now, this waste of money will end. Also, certified staff are the only ones who have a vote, but PfP is supposed to cover every CMS employee - custodians to Superintendent. How fair is it to let one group decide the fate of all? Another point brought up at our school presentation & the principal's group was that CMS will use a Bell Curve, so no matter how good your staff is, someone will always fall to the bottom. Hypothetically, you could have an entire staff at 90% effectiveness or better and some teachers would still not qualify for extra pay. There is only one pot of money and someone is going to lose. There's nothing like pitting teacher against teacher. Take a look at the other systems who have tried (and failed) to implement PfP. Gorman thinks he and CMS can get it right on the premise that teachers are having a say. Well, I'm on a PfP development team and Andy Baxter stated at our first meeting that "this was not a democracy"; Pete will have the final say. Why do I bother?

The funniest part is looking at the chart and seeing ALLLLLLL of the highly effective teachers at schools that are underperforming (according to the State and CMS). It's funny because Dr. G has pitched this whole thing on the idea that offering PfP will get the MOST effective teachers to these schools. Well, looking at the chart---those teachers are ALREADY there. "What a tangled web we weave..."

Why won't the Board stop him Ann? Why are they so afraid of him. Do they not read what this is doing to this district and community? Are they simply uninterested or uninformed? Are they so enamored and impressed that they remain silent? It is time for a small child to stand up and say the emperor has no clothes. Dr. Gorman, you are naked on this one. Recall! Recall! Recall! We are not allowed by State of NC law to have a union for teachers, but we are allowed to call in sick. I think it is time for teachers to stand up and make a statement. I vote that we have a "sick day" where we could voice our concerns. Who wants to do this?

Understand the Broad Plan. Discredit experienced certified teachers. Fire them or coerce them into resigning. Stuff the ranks full of TFA teachers, eventually working a deal to sign them as independent contractors you don't have to pay retirment or benefits. Get them to stay and turn the lifers into principals to perpetuate the process. There is a plan.

Who new education was to be a Machiavellian pursuit... I am ashamed of Dr. Gorman and the BOE... I am ashamed at the pundits who continue to lay the ills of the world at the feet of teachers and seek to do just as you say...discredit us, malign us, and degrade us while at the same time forcing us to hand over our work product to TFA recruits...To those like Arne Duncan and Michelle Rhee who couldn't hack it in a classroom themselves to dictate to the nation they have the answers...Gorman has partaken of their Kool-Aid...just like he did in his last system, he is going to run ours into the ground...we are his grand petri dish to fame... Teachers are here to help kids become people. No test can say what a kid learns from us in a year...I had a former student who is a Marine stationed in Afghanistan send me an email thanking me for being one of the only people who didn't give up on him when his family and others did... that even though he came to school high and skipped class, he really was listening and he appreciated that I cared enough to hold him to a high standard. He is a U.S. Marine who has straightened out his life and I happily attended his wedding to a lovely young lady this past summer. This is just one of so many stories like this that we teachers have stored away... They are not numbers to me! I give my life to people...not numbers!! I won't be gone in 2 years on to the business sector or public policy... I am here for my life to server your children... This is why Dr. Gorman fails... he doesn't understand this idea...neither does the BOE...

First day of EOG's might be appropriate. What do you say teachers? Shall we make the first day of EOG's our first official walk out day? How do we get the word out? I can certainly begin posting this around town. You game?

Lies, D@mn lies, and statisics! I am amazed that the district would try to build a regression equation with more variables than they have students-- especially when the equation is predicting a number that has questionable value in the first place: an EOG score.